Sole Abortion Provider Allowed Under New Law Sees Itself as a Target

A law signed this week by Gov. Mary Fallin would close two of the state’s three abortion providers on Nov. 1, and the remaining provider already worries it's next.

Brandie Haddan is the nursing supervisor at Reproductive Services Tulsa, the one clinic that would remain open. She said being the lone provider in Oklahoma will likely be tough.

"I do have concerns that we're now just going to be a main target," Haddan said. "Not that all clinics — not only here in Oklahoma, but Texas, Alabama — were not targets already, but with us being the only [provider], I foresee them just trying to hit us hard."

Haddan said abortion is just one piece of the current battle over women’s rights.

"We're also about to fight just even being able to get on birth control," Haddan said. "So I really think that women need to be aware that we really need to be a voice and be active in keeping our rights — our rights to decide to have babies, our rights to decide to be on birth control."

The new law requires a physician at the facility to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles. The state medical association opposes the new abortion law, as it generally opposes laws implementing a standard of care or overriding a doctor’s judgment.